Saka Light Cavalry

Friday, 7 September 2012

Battle Report, Macedonian V Persian using FoG

Wednesday night saw me playing at Matt's for the first time in well over 20+ years though stepping into the room it was as if it was only a few weeks. Matt is one of those lucky enough to have their own games room and over the years I have had many a good game. I was showing Matt the rules which I hoped he would like enough to rebase his old 6th edition armies to. Matt had the same view of DBM as I but where I had drifted away from wargaming Matt had just drifted away from Ancients. The good news was not only was Matt still interested in Ancients but he also had the rules and Immortal Fire. After a quick run through the rules and a few important tactical bits that you don't want to hear about half way through a game we were off.

Matt was using my Alexandrian Macedonian including one pike and one LI unit that had yet to see the table. We had just used the second half of the terrain placement rules, we choose the pieces, placed and only then rolled to see if they get adjusted. Most did, off board! Matt had all the cavalry in the centre, the centre left had the pike and a long way off the Cretans and Javelin armed skirmishes.

I was using the very old and tested Later Persians putting the better part of my Cavalry on my far left with two regiments in front of my Kardrakes (MI Light Spear) and beside them a lone unit of hoplites. The flank was protected by LC with bow and Persian slingers. Both armies were just over 730 points so well balanced on points.

Neither of us were happy with our set ups though again both of us saw a few nice opportunities. In my case the two light infantry units were 4 points of routers just begging to be mine then the two horse were to sweep round and take the phalanx in the flank or at least hold them in position whilst the LC took out the baggage camp that had been left unprotected. Well I failed to get into the lights as they kept retreating whilst I struggled to get close enough to count. Meanwhile Matt saw the other flank as being an obvious win as his Lance armed lights supported by his javelin armed light horse had very much the upper hand on my bow armed LC. Well it all started well for Matt as he dropped my Bow LC two levels to fragmented. So much so that the Javelin LC paid no more attention and went after my slingers. This turned out to be a mistake as I first dropped the Lancers a cohesion level, then a second and scored the first rout of the game with nothing between me and his baggage. This was short lived as first the Kardrakes and then my Kappadokian Cav broke leaving the centre in a mess. The benefits of drilled over undrilled was brought home when the last Persian Cav unit in the centre failed two tests to turn to face the attacks and was about to take a flank charge that would carry it and my leader to a nasty place.

Having just got the hoplites to face three pike phallanx, three good order lance armed cavalry whilst on my far left the Paphlagonian LC were being broken in quick fashion by Matt's Agrianian Javelin men (those of the first outing). I was not in trouble, I was in deep dodo.

We both passed the Cohesion Tests on seeing friends break but given just one more turn would have seen my centre comprising of a lonely Hoplite block, somewhat similar to many a game from the past. As I said it was JUST like I played Matt a few weeks before. Oh dear.

Great fun, so much I forgot to take pictures of the game. Another game where I got to look at the front of my new army but this time it was standing up to the Persians. Most important I guess is that Matt wants to play another game of this some time soon. As I already have a game with Barry booked (same two armies) for this coming week and other commitments we won't get back together till the following week. So four games in four weeks, none to shabby at all!

No worries Anne, today was spent painting, always good way for me to relax. The weather here is really nice so we hopefully will do stuff with the kids (I will try to include sitting in the shade reading as part of the deal)

I definitely agree with your approach to the terrain - ignore the random positioning part of the rules, and just roll to adjust/remove it. There's nothing worse than picking 2 hills for your artillery and both of them ending up in your opponents' half of the table (as happened in my game last night).